Compulsive Exercise & Eating Disorders
Although exercise is considered important to a healthy lifestyle, distorted and confusing messages regarding fitness can lead women and men of all ages to abuse exercise and harm their bodies. Indeed, the fitness frenzy consuming our culture fuels and normalizes an obsession with exercise. This abuse can include exercising excessively or exercising when weary, malnourished, and dehydrated.
Women and men with eating disorders are particularly prone to this abuse. Unhealthy exercise is one of the strongest indicators of relapse in women with eating disorders. This is why exercise abuse must be addressed in part with nutrition therapy. One must begin to focus on what he/she enjoys doing or experiences as fun. Normalizing an exercise program so that it is healthy and beneficial requires addressing internal needs instead of external concerns. Practicing adequate rest, nutrition, self-respect, and self-care will lead to a healthy and fun exercise program.
Here are several ways to help keep you in check with exercise:
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Examine your reasons for exercising.
Exercising solely for the purpose of weight loss leads to unhealthy exercise behaviors. The three main purposes of exercise are to rejuvenate the body, increase the mind-body connection, and alleviate mental and physical stress.
- Avoid getting stuck in rigid patterns.
Following a strict regiment leads to obsessive-compulsive exercise, which is both mentally and physically damaging. Be flexible. Create a program that is fun, includes a variety of activities, and involves other people. It’s ok to miss some workouts.
- Avoid trying to beat the clock.
Paying attention to and writing down how your body feels before, during, and after exercise will help you to identify patterns of healthy and unhealthy exercising.
- Stop comparing yourself to others when exercising.
Focusing on others lead to minimizing your own skills, achievements, and body’s needs. If you find yourself comparing, close your eyes for a minute and focus on your breathing to center yourself.
- Acknowledge exercise triggers.
Avoiding people, places, or activities that support exercise abuse is possible by challenging yourself to do something different.
- Plan your rest days and stick to them.
Resting is a key component of a healthy exercise program. Take 2 or more days off from exercising each week.
- Be critical of sources of fitness information.
Remember that exercise tips and workout plans offered in magazines do not consider the specific needs of someone in recovery from an eating disorder. Also, be aware that not all fitness professionals are trained in eating disorders.
- Workout with a healthy buddy.
Having someone to exercise with makes it social and keeps it fun. Leaving the gym or stopping exercise when your buddy leaves will help prevent your from over-exercising.
- Eat to exercise, don’t exercise to eat.
The body needs fuel to engage in physical activity safely. Plan your exercise around meals to ensure you properly fuel and refuel your body.
- Expand the variety of activities you do for exercise.
Try visiting parks, dancing, hiking, biking, walking, or yoga to broaden your exercise options. Seek out other places for physical activity besides the gym. Get outside with children, or do gardening.
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Be flexible about how and when you exercise.
Shannon Strasser, RD, CPT, is the owner of Summit Nutrition LLC (www.summitnutrition.us), which provides nutrition therapy for eating disorders, weight management, wellness/prevention, as well as many other nutritional needs. Her main focus is working with men and women who struggle with disordered eating, eating disorders, emotional eating, and body image issues. She can be reached at 303-949-9735 .